Ahead of Prez Trump's visit, slum-dwellers asked to vacate in Ahmedabad

Families living in a slum alongside a road connecting Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar are facing the threat of eviction ahead of the US President Donald Trump's visit to the state. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is also constructing a 400-metre wall in front of the slum to conceal destitution during high profile visits.

Ahmedabad: At least 45 families living in a slum near the newly-built Motera stadium in Ahmedabad have been served eviction notices by the municipal corporation ahead of the scheduled visit of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24.

While officials have denied any connection with the proposed high-profile visit and issuance of notices, residents of the slum have questioned the timing of the move, which came days after the AMC began building a wall allegedly to cover a slum on a route that the US President is likely to take while visiting the city.

"You have encroached upon a plot of land belonging to the AMC (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation). Evict the plot in another seven days with your household chattels, otherwise, a departmental action will be taken to evict the land. If you have to make any representation, you can do so on February 19 at 3 pm," reads the notice.

Read:Namaste Trump: Ahmedabad prepares for a gala welcome to US President Trump

The slum is located alongside a road connecting Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, around one-and-a-half kms away from the Motera stadium.

Earlier during Invanka Trump's visit to Hyderabad in 2017, homeless people were rounded by the police before the start of Global Enterpreneurship Summit at Madhapur.

A slum-dweller, Shailesh Bilwa, claimed on Tuesday that officials of the AMC have visited them several times since the last seven days.

Meanwhile, Deputy Estate Officer (West Zone), AMC, Chaitanya Shah said the eviction notice had nothing to do with the scheduled "Namaste Trump" programme.

"They (slum-dwellers) have been served the eviction notice under the provisions of the Town Planning Act and has nothing to do with Trump's visit. The plot belongs to the AMC. The notice was served as the site survey conducted in January found that the plot had been encroached upon," Shah said.

PM Modi and Trump are scheduled to address over one lakh people at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera on February 24, as part of the "Namaste Trump" event. Trump is scheduled to take part in a roadshow in Ahmedabad and to visit the Sabarmati Ashram on that day.

(With inputs from PTI)